Breaking in a new mask confusion

[Eric Sedletzky]

I’ve used Bon Ami cleanser on the inside of new masks for years. It cleans glass 100% and leaves no residue at all. I’ve never etched or damaged glass with bon ami and even use it on auto glass with no problems. We use Bon Ami on pane glass prior to water glass gilding for signs because the water needs to sheet off, and the glass needs to be 100% clean to be able to do that. I don’t know about these new “super” coatings, and whatever ultraclear glass means, I’m talking about regular glass and tempered glass.

 

[davehicks]

Has everyone forgotten about the epic #900 reply thread on mask defog technique?

Anti-Fogging Treatments for New Masks. (a comparison of techniques)

Update: A pourable cream of 1:1 (by weight) tooth paste : ammonium bicarbonate and sufficient water is now 'seasoning' one half of a brand new mask, right out of the box. Being done in the open air so that all hard plastic parts are not affected. -let you know the results in three days... In...

scubaboard.com

TLDR; Put a new mask in the dishwasher with a tidepod, without using the heating/drying function.

 

[lowviz]

@davehicks: Work has been going on behind the scene. @Eric Sedletzky uses Bon Ami that is composed of feldspar, calcium carbonate, and sodium carbonate. Perfectly 'abrasive' and alkaline.

The pourable cream would now be Bon Ami and household ammonia. Ammonia is known to alter the glass surface in a very positive way. Scrub if you need to. Add ammonium bicarbonate if you have it.

Don't forget the dishwasher to keep your mask clean...

 

[ScubaTexas]

I’ve used Bon Ami cleanser on the inside of new masks for years. It cleans glass 100% and leaves no residue at all. I’ve never etched or damaged glass with bon ami and even use it on auto glass with no problems. We use Bon Ami on pane glass prior to water glass gilding for signs because the water needs to sheet off, and the glass needs to be 100% clean to be able to do that. I don’t know about these new “super” coatings, and whatever ultraclear glass means, I’m talking about regular glass and tempered glass.

I think I might give Bon Ami a try on a new mask. Haven't used it on a mask before. Have thought about using Bar Keeper's Friend to clean the inside glass of a new mask but never tried that either. Anyone try Bar Keeper's Friend?

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

I think I might give Bon Ami a try on a new mask. Haven't used it on a mask before. Have thought about using Bar Keeper's Friend to clean the inside glass of a new mask but never tried that either. Anyone try Bar Keeper's Friend?

I haven’t used bar keepers friend, but be aware that is contains oxalic acid and benzenesulfonic acid. Be careful not to inhale the dust before it gets wet. According to the label it should be fine on glass and silicone or rubber. Personally, I would try it on an old back up mask and see what happens before I’d use it on something brand new.

 

[ScubaTexas]

I haven’t used bar keepers friend, but be aware that is contains oxalic acid and benzenesulfonic acid. Be careful not to inhale the dust before it gets wet. According to the label it should be fine on glass and silicone or rubber. Personally, I would try it on an old back up mask and see what happens before I’d use it on something brand new.

Thanks. Ya, noticed the oxalic acid and benzenesulfonic acid used and wondered if it might be too strong, especially given the product manufacturer's warning to not leave it on anything too long. Will probably pick up a can of Bon Ami tomorrow, given it appears to be a bit less aggressive than BKF.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Thanks. Ya, noticed the oxalic acid and benzenesulfonic acid used and wondered if it might be too strong, especially given the product manufacturer's warning to not leave it on anything too long. Will probably pick up a can of Bon Ami tomorrow, given it appears to be a bit less aggressive than BKF.

I’m a little leery of BKF on porcelain at least. I used it on an old vintage porcelain sign to clean it up and get it ready to touch up. I’m not certain, but I swear it did etch or dull the surface slightly. They used to use a lot of lead in the glazes on those old signs because it lowers the firing temp for the glaze to melt over so the steel wouldn’t burn up, and it also gave the sign some flexibility for handling so the glass would blow off if bowed somewhat. But it also made to surface a little softer. Tempered glass on a dive mask might be completely different, but Bon Ami works so well and has never caused problems (even on porcelain signs) so I’m sticking with it.

 

[Celt]

Wash in a bit of detergent when new then spit and rince it before using it. Flood it and clear it before diving. If it fogs flood it underwater and clear it.

 

[drakcheslav]

As an Rosacea inflicted individual, sunscreen is a must when outside. Which means, diving and sunscreen is fog galore. Especially in the summer. That is untill I switched to a mineral scunscreen. No more fogging. But when I was using chemical sunscreen, toothpaste with sodium bicarbonate was ideal for antifog.

 

[El Diablo]

For years I have been using with great success a combination of "lens burning" and "toothpaste scrubbing" to prepare my new masks before first use (otherwise they fog up instantly and hopelessly). I just picked up a new mask for my kid from Mares (dual lens, tempered glass, nothing special) and to my surprise noticed the following sentences in the user manual:

"Never allow open flames or blasts of hot air to come into direct contact with the lens. This could damage the temper causing the lens to break and [sic] serious risk to the wearer's eyes."

"Never use toothpaste, surficants, solvents, soaps (even if neutral), detergents, alcohol or hydrocarbons to clean the mask, as they could cause deterioration of the parts. Keep away from oils, greases, suntan creams and lotions."

I am very confused now. If I read this right, Mares is saying that I should not burn the lens, scrub with toothpaste, or even apply mask defoggers (surficants, soaps, detergents). Even more, my kid should not use sunscreen while using the mask. This is exactly the opposite of everything I have been practicing for 25 years. So, have I been doing it all wrong all these years causing irreparable damage to my masks? Or is the Mares user manual written by some defensive lawyers who have no clue about masks and have stopped short of writing something crazy like "never use this mask in the water"? How is one to break in a new mask while observing these manufacturer's restrictions?

IF you mask doesn't have UV treated lenses on the inside, soak on lukewarm water and gently rub using your fingers or a soft sponge with mild liquid dishwasher detergent. If it has UV coated lenses, avoid any sponge and rub very, VERY gentle using only your fingers. Don't overdo it, just use a defog / spit before every dive and check if it works. Repeat if necessary.

I've never used any harsh nor abrasive chemicals / fire in my masks and only had an issue once with the UV coated lenses on my D-Mask.